Auto-signal



J. R. VELLARD.

AUTO SIGNAL.

APPLICATION FILED OCT.20.1920.

Patente, Feb. 115 192k,

2 SHEE S SHEET I.

J. R. HLLARD.

AUTO SIGNAL.

APPLICATION FILED ocT. 20. 1920.

Patented Feb. 15 192].

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

IIYVENTOR (1066,01! W/m/ BY E Q M 1%.

Jesus a vILLsnn, or noonns'rnn, NEW 2033.

AUTO-SIGNAL.

To all whom itma/y concern:

Be it knownthat I, ,Josnrrr R. VILLARD, citizen of the United States,residing at Rochester, in the county offMonroe and State of New York,have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Auto-Signals ,-ofwhich the following is aspecification-- The object of this invention isto provide a new and improved form of auto signal.

This and other objects of the invention will be fully illustrated in thedrawings, described in the specification and pointed out in the claimsat the end thereof.

In the drawings, t

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved auto signal with'the' casingartly broken away. a I

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the signal extended with the top of thecasing partly broken away.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the signal withdrawn into the casing.

Fig. 4 is an end elevation of the signal %Iid its casing viewed f theleft of Fig. 5 shows a modified form of my in vention, operated by anelectric motor.

Fig. 6 is a detail view of the motor and lead screw for operating thesignal.

Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic view of the signal with its operating mechanismextended so thatit canbe moved in and out from either side of the car.

In the drawings, like reference numerals indicate like parts.

In: the drawings, reference numeral -1 indi'catesthe casing having abase or angle plate 2 on the side thereof which carries a stud 3, whichextends through the side i of the car so that it maybe clamped in placeby the nut 5. Inside of the casing is a series of lazy tongs. In thisinstance five long, swinging links 6 of the series on one side are shownin folded 'up position in Fig. 1. A similar set of links are provided onthe other side. On the base plate is a station; ary link 7. Thestationary link 7 is slotted at the top, as indicated at 8, and in thisslot slides a pin 9 that is attached to one of thelong links on theother side of the series. To the bottom of the stationary link 7, one

of the swinging links 6 is pivotally attached and this link is,connected to the handle 10 by which it may be moved open and shut,

Specification of Letters Patent. Pafiygntgdl gg 1'5, 1921, Applicationfiled October 20,1920. Serial No. 41$,330.

shown in dotted lines "and the shut position being shown in full lines.The top of the casin is slotted as shown in Fig. 1 to permit t eswinging of the handle. Connected to the top and bottom joints of thelinks of the lazy tongs I provide the plates 11, 12, 13 and14, whichplates are fitted to telescope on each other. Each pair of plates ispivotally connected directly to the links at the bottom as indicated at15. The rear edge of the plate is turned up into a sleeve 16 which actsas a guide at-the top to receive the stem 17, attached to the pin 18,which holds together the upper end of the links of the front and backseries. As the links are closed up to the full line position shown inFig. 1, these stems 17 rise in the guides andmaintain firm connectionwith the plates so that the plate being held at both the top and bottom,is kept in'an upright posit1on.. As the lazy tongs are extended, thestems 17 move down into the sleeve as the links swing on the centers atthe bottom. Each pair of these plates are thus fastened to the joints ofthe long links at both the top. and bottom and are moved out and in asthe links are moved to open and shut position.- On each of these platesI place a letter so that the letters collectively spell a word, the wordStop being so indicated in Fig. 1. These letters will ordi narily hepainted on the plates and to prevent these painted letters from beingrubbed 0E by the plates rubbing against each other, I provide forholding the plates apart in the zone occupied by the letters. For thispurpose, I provide small rollers 19 and 20 at the'top and bottom of eachplate at the forward edge. The plates overlap each other so that betweenthe links of the lazy tongs and the overlapping of the platesthemselves, the plates are held firmly in position when extended.

To reach the handle 10 shown in Fig. 1,

the driver or operator wouldhave to reach outside of the car, and topermit the operation from within the cai, I provide an opening 21 in thebase and the opening 22 in the side of the car. Through these openingsextends the link 23 which engages with the handle 24 pivoted at 25 onthe inside of the car. The other end of the link 23 is connected to thelazy tongs. In this case, the handle 10 outside of the car is omitted.By

the movement tr the handle 24 the signal is extended or withdrawn as theoperator ma desire.

- n Fig. 7 I have shown the hand connections by which the signal 'can beoperated from either side of the car. In this case, I mount a handle 40on the right hand side of thecar, which handle is connected by a link 41to the handle 24 on the left hand side of the car so that both of thesehandles will operate in unison and the signal can be op erated fromeither side of the car.

I To operate the signal electrically, I pr0 vide in the top of thecasing 1 a motor having a shaft 31 which drives a lead screw 32 throughthe universal joint 33. The screw 32 is blank at'each'eni'the threadbeing turned down therefrom. On the lead screw I provide a nut 34 havinga swivel connection with the link 35. At each end of the screw 1 providea washer 36 and spring 37 which normally presses the washer toward theend of the thread. This washer engages Y with the link and holds the nutup till - thread and when the screw turns in the reverse direction, thethread will engage the nut and move it to the right until it passes 0dof the thread compressing the spring 37- at the other end of the screw.In this way, the thread will engage the nut at either end and move itthe correct distance irrespective of the time when the motor stops eachtime it is started. As the link 35 moves to the left or right, the outerend of the screw falls and rises, this being permitted by the universaljoint 33.

I claim:

1. An auto signal having a series of lazy tongs, a series of overlappingplates fastened to the links of said tongs, said plates being telescopedwhen the links are drawn together and being drawn out when the links areextended, said plates being pivotally connected to the links on onesideand having a sliding engagement with the links on the other side.

2. An auto signal having a series of lazy tongs, a series of overlappingplates fastened to the links of said tongs, said plates being telescopedwhen the links are drawn together and being drawn out when the links areextended, said plates being pivotally ward each other and exert a yielreceeding and succeeding connected to the bottom of the links onone sideand having a sleeve formed on one edge the next adjacent plate and holdthe plates from sliding contact.

4. An auto signal having a series of lazy tongs, a series of overlappingplates fastened to the links of said tongs, said plates being telescopedwhen the links are drawn together and being drawn out when'the links areextended, a lever connected to one of said lazy ton s, a lead screwconnected thereto by which the lever is moved forward and back, meansfor rotating the lead screw in either direction.

5. An auto signal having a series of lazy tongs, a series of overlappingplates fastened to the links of said tongs, said plates being telescopedwhen the links are drawn together and being drawn out when the links areextended, a lever connected to one of said lazy tongs, a lead screwconnected thereto by which the lever is moved forward and back, meansfor rotating the lead screw in either direction, said screw beingmounted to swing as the lever is driven.

6. An aut signal having a series of lazy tongs, a series of overlappingplates fastened to the links of said tongs, said plates being telescopedwhen the links are drawn together and being drawn out when thelinks areextended, a lever connected to one of said lazy tongs, a nut on saidlever, a lead screw with which said nut makes threaded engagement, saidscrew having the thread removed therefrom at each end, a spring at eachend of the screw for holding the nut in engagement with the end ofthethread. 1

7. An auto signal comprising a casing, a series of lazy tongs, adaptedto move in and out of said casing, a series of overlapping platesarranged in pairs, fastened to the links of said lazy tongs with theinner ends thereof and 'on either side of said links, the sides of saidcasing being adapted to force the outer end of a pair of said plates to-1ng pressure against the air of plates an hold said plates in arall elalinement with the links of said lazy tongs.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

JOSEPH R. VILLARD.

